Report States Green Policies Could Create 4.5 Million Jobs

A new report suggests green energy policies will be a major job creator in the United States. According to the report, “Estimating the Jobs Impact of Tackling Climate Change,” released jointly by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) and Management Information Services Inc. (MISI), aggressive deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency can produce up to 4.5 million new U.S. jobs by 2030 and provide greenhouse gas emission reductions.

According to the analysis, renewable energy and energy-efficiency deployment costs would be revenue-neutral or better, as costs to implement the technologies are offset by savings from lower energy bills, making total net costs near zero.

“The twin challenges of climate change and economic stagnation can be solved by the same action-broad, aggressive, sustained deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency,” said Brad Collins, executive director, ASES. “The solution for one is the solution for the other.”

According to the report, the 4.5 million new renewable-energy and energy-efficiency jobs are not limited to certain regions or sectors. They are widely dispersed throughout the United States in virtually all industries and occupations. Jobs spurred by this new economic growth will span a diverse range of skills and experience and include electricians, plumbers, carpenters, administrative assistants, machinists, cashiers, management analysts, civil engineers and sheet metal workers. Industries showing the largest job gains include construction, farming, professional services, local governments, retail, fabricated metals and electrical equipment. The report also finds that the construction industry directly benefits from almost all the growing renewable-energy and energy-efficiency sectors as well as from improvements in overall economic growth due to energy savings.